Dovetail Advocacy for Older Adults

Stacey LaFlamme is the owner and founder of Dovetail Advocacy for Older Adults. She graduated from UW-Madison with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy in 2002 and has worked as an occupational therapist in a hospital setting for many years. Stacey is skilled in assessing people’s daily self-care capabilities and safety when moving around their environment. Listening to what is important to people, she creates treatment plans and suggests changes that help people build on their existing strengths and in other cases regain their independence.

In the years before she had her two daughters, Stacey was the administrator of a pediatric home health agency in Dane County. In addition, to managing the daily business operations, she recruited and trained caregivers to provide personal care services in families’ homes.

It was in 2017 that Stacey discovered her true passion when she became an advocate for her great-aunt.  A stroke left her unable to talk or use her right arm and leg to walk, get dressed and complete her daily routine as she had previously.  Stacey realized her great-aunt needed someone to advocate for a proper wheelchair, ask for a swallow study so she could eat more appealing foods, and collaborate with the nursing staff so she could use the bathroom at predictable times. Stacey communicated with family members to assist in decision making and showed them ways to support a relative who needed more help than ever before.

Since that experience Stacey chose to create Dovetail Advocacy for Older Adults in order to help older adults age with dignity and develop the necessary supports they need to remain as independent as possible. This is how Dovetail was created.